Bessie

My favorite books have strong characters who teach me something about living. Lawrence Bush's Bessie is a remarkable character whose story made me cry, laugh, bite my nails, groan, and cheer her on. As a bonus, Bessie fleshed out my sketchy understanding of the role of the Jewish immigrant in the American Communist party. As a young anti-czarist revolutionary, Bessie finds herself, alone, in Siberia in 1909, and somehow, at age twelve, summons the courage and wits to escape to America. Where does one person get so much grit? Where does she get the strength to live her convictions, even when they get her into life-threatening trouble? An 88-year-old grandmother looking back on her life, she describes with earthy humor her loves, losses, and family relationships. A lifelong revolutionary dedicated to helping the downtrodden, she says, "you can't make a revolution against old age. Then you accept it. And then you're not old, you're young...." Bessie is a stirring novel about a memorable character. I highly recommend it.